Method for stringing up a rotating package holder

ABSTRACT

A method for stringing up a rotating package holder on a ring twister without stopping the yarn or package holder is accomplished by use of a waste spool of a diameter less than that of the package holder and selected to give a surface speed about the same as the yarn feed speed.

United Sites atent 1 91 Cochran June 4, 1974 [5 METHOD FOR STRINGING UP A 3,546,873 12/1970 Slack 57/345 x ROTATING PACKAGE HOLDER 3,186,154 6/1965 Negishi 57/34 TT X 3,491,526 1/1970 Krauss et a]. 57/156 X Inventor: Stanley R rt C an, 3,284,026 11/1966 Zuidema 57/34 TT x Martinsville, Va. 3,194,507 7/1965 Penevo1pe.... 242/18 PW 3,530,657 9/1970 Grau 57/34 TT [731 Assgneei ponhdeflemwrs and 3,631,663 1/1972 Krauss et a1. 57/34 TT Company, wllmmglon, 3,669,373 6/1972 11611 et a1 242/18 PW x 1 Filedi 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [21] Appl. No.: 310,461 717,762 9/1 65 Canada 57/34 TT 52 us. (:1. 57/34 'IT, 57/156 watkms [51] Int. Cl D0lh 9/16 [58] Field 61 Search 57/34 'IT, 156,34 R, 34.5, [57] ABSTRACT 57 5 242/18 pw A method for strmgmg up a rotatmg package holder on a ring twister without stopping the yarn or package 5 References Cited holder is accomplished by use of a waste spool of a di- UNITED STATES PATENTS ameter less than that of the package holder and se- 2 572 38 /1 5 G 5 ,5 lected to give a surface speed about the same as the I'ISI 2,747,359 5/1956 Keefe 57/34.5 yam feed Speed 3,543,495 12/1970 Takizawa 57/34 TT 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures METHOD FOR STRINGING UP A ROTATING PACKAGE HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to twisting and winding yarn packages and, more particularly, to an improved method and apparatus for initiating winding of a continuously supplied threadline onto a rotating package holder carried on a twister windup.

Drawable, synthetic yarns such as nylon and Dacron are commonly processed into packages using an apparatus known as a drawtwister with which the yarn is drawn several times its original length in order to develop desired strength and is then wound into a package under tension while simultaneously applying a twist to the yarn by means of a ring and traveler. When the threadline is forwarded in a positive manner from an operation such as drawing, difficulties may be encountered in stringing up the twister particularly when low denier yarns are being handled at high speed. Methods now used which have drawbacks eliminated by the present invention include bypassing the draw section until twister stringup has been completed, and using relatively complex means including motor speed controls and clutch or brake arrangements to lower spindle speeds during the stringup operation. The present invention provides a simple stringup method greatly reducing stringup fumbles and failures while minimizing yarn waste; Transfer tail winding is provided for in the method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The method of this invention comprises forwarding a threadline from a continuous supply at a substantially constant speed through guiding means located above a spindle axis and into a portable waste takeup device which temporarily receives the running yarn, directing the yarn manually by means of the waste takeup device through a stationary traveler positioned on a ring adjacent a spindle section of reduced diameter selected to provide a surface speed at or slightly greater than the speed of the advancing threadline when the spindle is rotating at the rpm desired forsubsequent winding, restraining traveler movement while placing yarn wraps about said spindle section, breaking or cutting the yarn advancing to the waste takeup device, winding a waste bunch on this surface at approximately the same speed as the yarn is forwarded, releasing the traveler for rotational movement about the ring and simultaneously raising the ring to a first position for winding a transfer I tail on the lower end of a yarn package holder carried on the spindle at a speed substantially greater than the yarn feed speed, and then to a second position for initiating winding of a yarn package on the holder. In another aspect of the invention, on a ring twister comprising a spindle to carry a package holder, a ring surmeans provided for assisting the conveyance of the winding yarn from the waste spool to the package holder surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing essential parts of the improved winding apparatus of this invention at the time of initiation of stringup of a threadline.

F IG; 2 is a front elevation view partly in section of the essential parts of the improved winding apparatus in more detail including a wire lift pin for assisting yarn from waste spool to carrier surface.

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing transfer tail and other windings.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan and elevation views of the preferred wire lift construction.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views showing alternate lift means for assisting yarn to the carrier surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, threadline l0, forwarded at a constant speed by forwarding rolls 12, 12a from a source of supply not shown is directed through pigtail guide 14 to a portable waste takeup device such as a sucker gun 22 by which means it is threaded manually through traveler 20 slidably supported on ring 18. The portable waste takeup device for temporarily receiving running yarn may comprise an air-aspirated device known to the art as a sucker gun. It is capable of taking up yarn at high velocities and under high tensions. Ring 18 in-a rail not shown is positioned by conventional rail lowering means opposite a waste spool 24 (shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3) located on spindle shaft 26 between pirn support 32 and spindle whorl 28 in a winding machine of known construction in which lugs 34 serve to engage the base of pirn package support 30 in order to drive it. Spindle whorl 28 is driven by a belt not shown.

Stringup of the twister is accomplished by restraining traveler movement on the ring 18, directing the yarn 10 carried by the sucker gun 22 through the loop of traveler 20, placing wraps of the advancing yarn 10 around the waste spool 24 by manipulation of the sucker gun, cutting the yarn out of the gun by scissors or other severing means, releasing the traveler and raising ring 18 to a position slightly above the base of pirn 30 to wind a transfer tail 38. Such a ring position is shown in FIG. 3. The ring is then lifted to a locked position for winding the main yarn package 42. The diameter of the waste spool 24 is chosen to give it a surface speed just slightly greater than the yarn forwarding speed at the operating rotational speed of the twister spindle. Thus, just enough tension is exerted on the yarn as it runs through the completely stopped traveler and is winding on the waste spool to prevent backwrapping on the delivery roll and to permit cut out of yarn from the portable waste stringup device.

A means such as wire pin 36 is used to interrupt the smooth lower surface of the pirn base 30 to catch and assist yarn in moving from the waste spool surface to the pirn package holder surface as ring 18 is raised. The

pin 36 is formed that the yarn may bounce over its bent end. As the yarn makes this transition to the pirn surface, the traveler picks up rotational speed and twisting begins. Package surface speed must exceed yarn forwarding speed to cause traveler rotation. Yarn twist is a result of traveler rotation. Yarn tension is controlled during winding in large part by the weight of the traveler, frictional effect of the yarn on the traveler surface and of the traveler on the ring surface.

By controlling the way the yarn is lifted from the smaller stringup surface to the pirn surface, a transfer tail 38 may be formed on the pim prior to initiation of the main winding.

Alternate means for assisting the lifting of the threadline from the surface of the waste spool to that of the pirn may include notches 44 in the lower periphery of a plastic sleeve covering the pim body elongated so that it projects below the end plug forming the pirn base (FIG. 6) or in the end plug forming the pirn base 30 (FIG. 7). The notches provide a depression or projection to grasp the yarn when the traveler ring is raised and cause the yarn to wind at a low elevation on the pun.

The preferred means for lifting the yarn from the waste winding section to the pirn surface is a wire pin 36 of corrosion resistant spring wire formed into the shape shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The pin 36 is attached to the spindle section of reduced diameter 24 by snapping it into parallel grooves 50 milled into the spindle just below the pirn support 32. An upturned nib 48 angled at about 10 away from the direction of spindle rotation serves to slap the yarn which skips over the nib as the ring is raised causing the traveler to start rotating. it has been found that the diameter of the reduced diameter waste yarn section of the spindle may be about 40 percent to about 85 percent of the diameter of the pirn, with the preferred diameter being about 47 percent. Yarn stretch between the yarn feed roll and the waste spool surface may be between about three percent and about 13 percent. The amount of stretch employed must be small enough to prevent the yarn from breaking while winding and large enough to provide sufficient tension to prevent backwrapping of the yarn on the feed roll.

For example, 15 denier monofilament yarn from a drawing operation is forwarded at 509 yards per minute through a pigtail guide located axially above a rotating pirn mounted on a spindle rotating at 7681 rpm and into a thread collection device such as a sucker gun 22 which is capable of taking the yarn away at the rate at which it is fed. With the ring of the twister lowered to a position opposite the section of reduced diameter of 0.840 inch on the spindle below the pirn support, the yarn is threaded under the traveler and then wrapped two or three times around the pirn by the sucker gun which is then lowered quickly to a position opposite the reduced diameter section of the spindle. The yarn is severed at the sucker gun and commences winding as waste onto the reduced diameter section whose surface speed is 564 yards per minute. The difference in feed speed and winding speed induces a stretch of about 1 l percent in the yarn. The ring is then raised to a point opposite to and slightly above the base of the pirn whose diameter is 1.79 inches and simultaneously the traveler is released. Rotation of the traveler is initiated by contact of the running yam with the wire lifting pin positioned on the rotating spindle slightly below the base of the pim. The yarn skips over the pin several times as the traveler gains rotational speed on the ring until, finally, the yarn is retained behind the pin surface and is lifted to the surface of the pirn where a winding is formed to be used later as a transfer tail in further processing of the yarn. After several wraps of transfer tail are wound, the ring is again lifted to a position where normal ring rail traverse begins and winding of the main body of yarn on the pirn is initiated.

Provision may be made such as threads cut into the periphery of base 46 for attachment of waste spool sections of larger diameter.

The advantage of stringing up a twister through a stationary traveler while exerting just enough tension on the yarn to prevent backwrapping on the delivery roll is particularly useful in the winding of monofilament yarns and those of few filaments. The succession of stringup steps are unhurried and distinct from each other. Buildup of excess yarn on the waste spool, part of which is undrawn, is avoided by pres'tringing of the draw section. A simple transition from waste spool to transfer tail winding and or to winding of the main package is provided.

What is claimed is:

t. In a method for initially threading a ring twister having a spindle rotating at a constant speed that includes the steps of forwarding a threadline from a source through a traveler positioned on a ring adjacent a spindle section and restraining traveler movement while winding a waste bunch on the spindle section; then releasing the traveler for rotational movement about the ring; then raising the ring to a first position for winding a transfer tail on the lower end of a yarn package holder carried by the spindle and then to a second position for initiating winding of a yarn package on said holder, the improvement comprising the steps of winding said waste bunch on said spindle section at about the same surface speed as the yarn forwarding speed; then winding the transfer tail at a surface speed greater than the yarn forwarding speed; and initiating winding the package at the same surface speed as the surface speed for winding the transfer tail, said steps of winding the waste bunch, winding the transfer tail and initiating winding the package being accomplished without changing said spindle speed.

2. In a ring twister for winding yarn on the surface of a package holder after forwarding the yarn for winding a waste bunch on a section of a rotating spindle carrying the yarn holder, including a ring positioned around and mounted for traversing said spindle, a waste receiving section on said spindle below said package holder for use during stringup, and means for traversing said ring the improvement comprising: said waste receiving section having a diameter less than the diameter of said package holder, said waste receiving section having a surface speed about the same as the forwarding speed of the yarn; and lifting means for assisting the yarn from the surface of the waste bunch to the surface of the package holder. 

1. In a method for initially threading a ring twister having a spindle rotating at a constant speed that includes the steps of forwarding a threadline from a source through a traveler positioned on a ring adjacent a spindle section and restraining traveler movement while winding a waste bunch on the spindle section; then releasing the traveler for rotational movement about the ring; then raising the ring to a first position for winding a transfer tail on the lower end of a yarn package holder carried by the spindle and then to a second position for initiating winding of a yarn package on said holder, the improvement comprising the steps of winding said waste bunch on said spindle section at about the same surface speed as the yarn forwarding speed; then winding the transfer tail at a surface speed greater than the yarn forwarding speed; and initiating winding the package at the same surface speed as the surface speed for winding the transfer tail, said steps of winding the waste bunch, winding the transfer tail and initiating winding the package being accomplished without changing said spindle speed.
 2. In a ring twister for winding yarn on the surface of a package holder after forwarding the yarn for winding a waste bunch on a section of a rotating spindle carrying the yarn holder, including a ring positioned around and mounted for traversing said spindle, a waste receiving section on said spindle below said package holder for use during stringup, and means for traversing said ring the improvement comprising: said waste receiving section having a diameter less than the diameter of said package holder, said waste receiving section having a surface speed about the same as the forwarding speed of the yarn; and lifting means for assisting the yarn from the surface of the waste bunch to the surface of the package holder. 